The bones of the human skeleton serve many important structural and mechanical purposes. Among them, the bones protect organs, provide a frame to support the body, and function along with muscle and tissue to allow parts of the body to move. During these and other tasks, the bones are subjected to various forces. In particular, the bones that serve as joints in the human body, like the knee or shoulder, are subjected to increased forces during movement of various body parts. To counteract these forces, bones use biomechanical forces to remain functional. In a healthy bone, these biomechanical forces help protect the healthy bone by counteracting forces that may be randomly applied on the bone. Through the use of a radiological device, an illustration of stress lines can be developed to show the types of forces a healthy bone needs to counteract. These forces will vary based on the unique characteristics of each bone in the human skeleton.
Numerous reasons can cause a bone in the human body to be weakened and require support. Support for a weakened bone can be provided either externally (i.e. outside the body), or internally, (i.e. in direct contact with a bone). In the case of external support, a splint or a cast can be placed on the skin over the weakened bone, such as a fractured femur, to provide short-term support. Regarding the case of internal support, various screws, rods, and pins can be affixed directly to the bone and are suitable for long-term support. In any of these cases, the support is directed towards allowing the bone to heal. And, in many cases, the internal or external support limits the movement or motion of the body part being supported. Furthermore, the internal or external support does not accurately replicate the biomechanical forces present in a healthy bone.
In light of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device that can be implanted into a bone to replicate the biomechanical forces that are normally present in a healthy bone. Another object of the present invention is to provide a device that can be customized for a particular bone to replicate the unique biomechanical forces that are typically imposed on the bone in the human skeleton. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a device that can be used for establishing supportive forces in the bony structure of a skeleton that is easy to use, is relatively simple to manufacture, and is comparatively cost effective.